Venezuela President blames soap operas for causing crime

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Mónica Spear, a soap star, was one of the latest victims of violenceZUMA/REX

James HiderLatin America Correspondent

Last updated at 12:01AM, January 22 2014

Venezuela’s soaring murder rate has been blamed by many observers on the widespread availability of guns, a collapsing economy and police corruption.

President Maduro has another explanation: the dangerous influence of soap operas.

The Socialist leader and successor to Hugo Chávez said that violence on television was to blame for pushing Venezuela to fifth place on the UN ranking of most homicidal countries in the world. Mr Maduro, who last year singled out Hollywood films such as Spider-Man and video games for the horrific levels of violence in Venezuela, said that soap operas promoted “anti-values” and glamorised guns and drugs